Disposal of Helicon

Smith WH PLC
13 February 2002

                                                              13 February 2002


                                 WH Smith PLC

                             Disposal of Helicon

Hodder Headline, a subsidiary of WH Smith PLC, announced today that it had
completed the sale of Helicon to RM plc for £0.7m. In the last financial year,
Helicon, which is principally an online reference publisher, achieved sales of
£2.2m.

The sale is in accordance with Hodder Headline's strategy of concentrating on
markets where it can be a leader.  Hodder Headline will continue to develop
vigorously its consumer, educational and academic publishing in other markets.


Enquiries:

WH Smith PLC

Richard Manhire, Investor Relations              020 7514 9686
Louise Evans, Media Relations                    020 7514 9624


Brunswick                                        020 7404 5959

Timothy Grey
Katya Reynier


Notes to Editors

Hodder Headline is one of the UK's leading publishers with particularly strong
positions in both consumer and educational publishing.  It has operations in
the UK, Australia and New Zealand and employs over 800 people world-wide. In
the year to August 2001 it generated sales of £112 million and operating
profits of £18 million.



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